Stabilizer for oils



Patented Nov. 10, 1942 e R FOR OILS' Wayne A. Proell, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Oil Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Indiana No Drawing. Application June 16, 1941, Serial No. 398,239

11 Claims.

. The present invention relates to hydrocarbon oils such as petroleum oils which may be used as fuel or furnace-oils or as lubricating oils. Fuel oils are generally prepared by cracking certain fractions of hydrocarbon oils with the resuit that certain amounts of suspended carbon, asphaltic and resinous matter, and sulfur are contained in the final product. Some fuel oils, on the other hand, consist of blends of comparatively light petroleum oil fractions and tarry fractions, the latter also containing some solid particles. Lubricating oils when used, for instance, in internal combustion or other types of engines tend to deposit a film of so-called varnish on surfaces in the engine.

In the case of fuel oils the solid matter presents serious problems since it tends to settle out in storage tanks and consequently clog outlet pipes. Also the solid matter collects at the nozzles of burners and eventually clogs the nozzles. In addition, small amounts of water with which fuel oil may become contaminated in the course of handling and storage, settle out and cause irregular burning of the oil.

A fuel oil which gives a deposit of 1.0% or more is considered unstable while a deposit of less than 1.0% is considered stable. This is, of course, a somewhat arbitrary classification but does correspond generally with the. amount of deposit beyond which serious diificulties are encountered.

Various ways have been suggested for overcoming these disadvantages, one of which is the addition of an emulsion breaker to cause the deposits and water to settle out more quickly than usual so they can be removed from the oil more easily,

I have found that certain compounds when added to the oil will stabilize the oil not only by preventing the deposition of the particles and water for greatly extended periods of time but also by causing a dispersion of a deposit which has already settled out. This latter feature is, of course, highly desirable since the stabilizing compounds may be merely added without agitation to oils which have been standing for some time and have already accumulated a deposit.

It is customary in some types of furnaces to heat the fuel oil before it is ignited. This is usually carried out in a prehea'tcr" and the solid matter in the oil tends to deposit therein. The stabilizing compounds according to my invention prevent or minimize these preheater deposits.

While lubricating oils do not contain solid matter initially, such solid matter develops during use of the lubricating oil. This solid matter finally adheres to various metal surfaces causing a varnish film and other deposits in the engine. The stabilizers according to the present invention prevent this adherence to the metal surfaces and keep the engine clean.

Although I have described the effect of the stabilizers with reference to fuel oils and lubricating oils, it will be clear that the dispersion of solid particles and water by the use of my stabilizing compound will -be effective in other oils as well.

It is an object of the present invention to stabilize petroleum oils by dispering any solid matter contained therein or subsequently formed therein or contaminated therewith, by the addition of small amounts of stabilizing agents.

A further object is to prevent varnish deposits on metal surfaces caused by deterioration of lubricating oil.

Another object of my invention is to prevent bottom settlings in fuel oils which may cause serious trouble in the operation of fuel oil furnaces.

Still another object is to provide fuel oil which will not clog feed lines, nozzles off-burners and the like and will not leave deposits-in preheaters.

According to my invention certain oil-soluble metal soaps together with certain organic promoters are used as stabilizing agents, Metallic soap may be either stearate, oleate, palmitate, ricinoleate, or other radical of a fatty material or naphthenate of a metal such as iron, aluminum, chromium or nickel, although I prefer to use iron or aluminum naphthenate. The organic promoter may be an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde such as salicylaldehyde or the like. The metallic soap may comprise 10% to of the addition mixture, although equal amounts of the metallic soap and the organic promoter are preferred. The metallic soap is the active agent in the stabilizer, and the function of the promoter is to enhance the stabilizing action and to render the stabilizing action of the soap permanent. The addition of about 0.05% to about 0.5% of the above stabilizers decreases the sediment to an amount corresponding to a highly stable fuel oil, and thus will change an unsalable oil into a satisfactory oll. I have found that about 0.2% of stabilizer gives the most satisfactory results, bearing in mind the question of cost.

When preheater deposit is of especial consideration, I have found that the addition of a small amount of beta naphthol or the like, together with the metal soap and organic promoter greatly reduces such deposit.

' table which follows, the stabilizing effect of the above stabilizing agent on a freshly prepared fuel oil is shown.

Table Example Per cent Quantity added 0.2

Days standing Sediment content Per cent 1 99. ambi U! Although the foregoing description has referred to several specific embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited thereby but is only limit d by the scope of the appended claims. Having now described my invention and the mannerof carrying the same into effect, what I claim is:

1. A liquid mineral oil composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment, a small amount of an oilsoluble metal soap and a small amount of an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

2. A liquid mineral oil-composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment, a small amount of an oil-. soluble metal soap of a fatty material, the metal being selected from the group consisting of iron, aluminum, chromium and nickel, and a small amount of salicylaldehyde whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

3. A liquid mineral oil composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment, a small amount of an oil-soluble metal naphthenate and. a small amount of s alicylaldehyde whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

Control 4. A liquid mineral oil composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form sediment, a small amount of iron naphthenate and a small amount of an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

' ment is greatly reduced.

6. A fuel oil composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment and having fuel oil characteristics, a small amount of an oil-soluble metal soapand a small amount of an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

'7. A fuel oil composition containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment, and preheater deposit, a small amount of an oil-soluble metal soap, a small amount of an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde and a small amount of beta naphthol whereby the formation of sediment and preheater deposit is greatly reduced.

8. A fuel oil composition as claimed in claim 6 wherein the composition contains from about 0.01% to about 0.1% of the oil-soluble metal soap and from about 0.01% to about 0.1% of the arcmatic hydroxy aldehyde.

9. A compound for stabilizing mineral oils normally tending to form a'sediment consisting of from about 10% to about 90% of an oil-soluble "metal soap and the balance an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde.

10. A stabilized fuel oil containing a large amount of a mineral oil normally tending to form a sediment and having fuel oil characteristics and a stabilizer consisting of about 50% iron naphthenate and about 50% salicylaldehyde.

11. A method of stabilizing a fuel oil normally tending to form a sediment comprising incorpora'ting a small amount of an oil-soluble metal soap and a small amount of an aromatic hydroxy aldehyde with a large amount of the fuel oil to be stabilized whereby the formation of sediment is greatly reduced.

- WAYNE A. PROELL. 

